St Kitts: beyond the beach

Flopping down on St Kitts’ mountain-framed beaches certainly has its appeal, but the laid-back Caribbean island has much more up its exotic sleeves than powder-soft sands and azure waters. Ease into island time with the help of travel writer, Madévi Dailly, and get acquainted with the practice of limin’ – the local art of sharing good times and delighting the senses

Port of call

Make time to explore Basseterre, St Kitts’ charming capital peppered with colonial history and intriguing boutiques. In nearby Port Zante, pick up wood carvings, statement jewellery and colourful batik made by local artisans at Amina Craft Market. Once you’re all shopped out, the bustling port has plenty of friendly, easy-going bars to idle a few hours away. Open-air Cheers is a breezy hangout for cold brews and local gossip, with front-row seats to street performances. No prizes for guessing the tipple of choice at Mojitos Bar, where weekly salsa nights, roll-your-own-cigar events and chilled vibes keep regulars coming back for more.

A few steps away

Of course, you needn’t stray too far from the beach: there’s nothing like St Kitts’ postcard-worthy vistas to make short work of any residual stresses. Whitehouse Bay’s Salt Plage has won plaudits for its yacht-set sophistication. Come for the inviting hammocks strung over the water, stay for tempting cocktails and fresh-off-the-grill lobster. Keep your feet in the sand at Shipwreck Beach Bar, a castaway spot with bags of Caribbean charm, where in-the-know snorkellers head for fish tacos, live tunes and close encounters with the local monkeys and mongooses.

Sun-kissed sophisticates

Get a taste of St Kitts’ fabulous produce at Belle Mont Farm, a hillside retreat set in the verdant foothills of Mount Liamuiga. Lime in style at the rustic-chic Mill Bar, where expertly mixed cocktails, muddled and stirred from the estate’s own bounty, come with soul-stirring ocean views. The Park Hyatt’s Fisherman’s Village (pictured above) is equally seductive: take a seat on its thatch-roofed, sea-facing platform for freshly caught seafood – a crab madame sandwich, say, or divine chargrilled octopus.

Sultry sundowners

There’s nothing sweeter than lingering on the seafront, watching the sky turn shades of rust and amber – thankfully, St Kitts has no shortage of idyllic spot for sundowners. Just steps from Cockleshell Bay (pictured above), contemporary Spice Mill has picturesque views of Nevis, plus wood-fired pizzas and seafood fancies should you get a little peckish. For something more casual, make a beeline for Reggae Beach Bar-Grill, where mellow tunes and tropical cocktails set the mood. Or pull up a boat at The Dock’s pontoon – a lively bolthole on Frigate Bay, framed by the moss-green curve of Timothy Hill, with local bands and DJs to boot.

For night owls

From the spine-tingling sound of steel drums to local soca and reggae artists, St Kitts knows a thing or two about getting into the party spirit. For a dash of cosmopolitan glamour, head to the tucked-away Sky Ultra Lounge to rub shoulders with the island’s bright and beautiful. Show off tanned limbs and shimmy the night away on The Strip, where revellers can sashay across the sands, from the open-air dance floor at the Monkey Bar to the roaring bonfire at Mr. X’s Shiggidy Shack.

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